The present invention relates to method and apparatus for centrifugal separation of components of a solution and, more particularly, a method for separating at least two components, having different sedimentation coefficients, of a solution in very short time, by using a centrifugal rotor of special construction, thereby separately collecting the desired components in rapid and efficient manner.
For example, when blood is collected from a patient to make blood test, it is desired that the amount of the blood collected be as little as possible, and the test result be obtained as early as possible. However, the processing of the blood in general blood test, particularly, the processing of centrifugal separation, requires time of at least fifteen minutes or more and substantial labor because such processing involves supplying of blood to a centrifugal tube, mounting of said tube on a centrifugal rotor, starting of rotation, stopping of the rotation, removing the tube from the rotor and separate collection or the like.
In order to overcome such defect, a continuously rotating centrifugal rotor system, so-called over-flow system, becomes used. In such system the blood is introduced from a predetermined side into the rotor while the blood subjected to centrifugal separation in the rotor is progressively discharged from the other side to the outside. This system, however, has a defect in which it requires considerable amount of blood and it can process only one blood.